How Do You Know When You Are Ovulating?
How do you know when you are ovulating? I am trying to get pregnant for the first time and would like to know what the best way of predicting when your ovulation period is.
Determining when you are ovulating is easily the most important step you should take when trying to get pregnant. Without knowing when you are the most fertile, it can be hit or miss (mostly miss).
How To Tell When You Are Ovulating
There are several ways that women use to try and determine whenever they are ovulating. Some examples include, charting their basal temperature, using an ovulation calculator, or taking an ovulation predictor test.
Basal Temperature
Women who try to determine when they are ovulating using their basal temperature, will chart their temperature to determine when they are the most fertile. Your basal temperature is the lowest body temperature that you will have within a 24-hour period. Whenever a woman is ovulating, her basal temperature will typically rise between .5 and 1 degree.
You can buy a basal thermometer at many retail stores and most of these kits will include a chart to help you track your daily temperatures. Be sure to always take your temperature when you first wake up in the morning, even before you get out of bed. This way you will get the most consistent results.
Using An Ovulation Calculator
There are a number of ovulation calculators online that you can use to help you predict when ever you are going to be ovulating. The typical menstrual cycle generally lasts an average of 28 days; however some women may have a shorter or longer cycle. Before using one of these calculators it is extremely helpful to know the length of your own menstrual cycle to get the most accurate results.
Most ovulation calculators will assume that the time between when you are ovulating and the first day of your cycle, is 14 days. This is known as the luteal phase.
By using the information you provide, the calculator can give you a general idea of when you might be ovulating. These calculators cannot be counted on to be very accurate, unless you know exactly how long your menstrual cycle is and when your luteal phase is.
Ovulation Predictor Test
The easiest way to help determine whenever you are going to be ovulating, is by using an ovulation predictor test. These tests can be extremely accurate and generally cost anywhere between $10-$30 at most retail stores.
These kits work by detecting the Luteinizing Hormone in women. These tests can be taken much like an at-home pregnancy test, by urinating on the testing strip. A positive result usually means that the woman is going to be at her most fertile for the next 72 hours.
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